Amidst the right-wing activists mobilizing against President Obama’s national back-to-school address, there’s also another narrative emerging: A backlash of sorts by relatively saner people, speaking out in favor of the speech, and against local officials who have decided to not show it.
The makeup of these groups differs from place to place. In some areas it’s a county Democratic organization. In others, it’s headed up by churches and civil rights activists.
All in all, it’s a fun additional wrinkle to a very absurd story — and it presents another side of the narrative that definitely deserves attention. Check out some examples, after the jump.
⢠In Somersworth and Rollinsford, New Hampshire, the Strafford County Democratic Committee is circulating a petition to reverse the school superintendent’s decision to not show the speech live. County Dem chair Caitlin Daniuk said that the address is “not a Democratic or Republican issue.” (Another interesting angle here is that school officials not showing the video isn’t just a red-country phenomenon — both of these towns voted for Obama by about 20 points.)
⢠In Harford County, Maryland, the New Harford Democratic Club will be staging a protest on Tuesday outside the school administration building, in opposition to the board of education’s not to air the speech. (Harford County voted for McCain by 18 points.)
⢠In Houston, Texas, the Honey Brown Hope Foundation Center and the NAACP chapter at the University of Houston are holding a prayer vigil, to pray for school districts that don’t show the speech: “It is unpatriotic for schools to send our children contradicting messages to stay in school and be productive citizens, but not emphasize the importance of the United States’ President, Barack Obama’s, message to stay in school.”
⢠In Pitt County, North Carolina, a group called the “The Pitt County Coalition for Educating Black Children” is speaking against the school system’s decision to not show the speech. Said group head Rev. Ozie Lee Hall, Jr.: “Failure to air the speech on the day its is given sends the message to Black students and the Black community in general that Pitt County School officials lack a basic respect, understanding and cultural sensitivity to the needs of Black students. President Obama is the first Black American elected to the Office of the President of the United States. Pitt County Schools is saying it cannot trust what the President may say so it wants to censor the President by previewing what he says.” (Pitt County voted for Obama 54%-46%.)
